MAC Preview: The end of the Rubber Bowl starts now
September 11th, 2008 by Nick Gerogosian
Nick Gerogosian is the Macdaddy of the MAC. He loves fantasy college football, but he does so much more at his site VanDelaySports.com. Today on Fantasy College Blitz he previews every single game on the MAC schedule.
Bowling Green (1-1, 0-0 MAC) at Boise State (1-0, 0-0 WAC) – 6:00 (MT)
SITE: Bronco Stadium (32,000/Blue FieldTurf) Boise, Idaho
TELEVISION: ESPN Game Plan (Mark Johnson, Tom Scott, David Augusto)
SERIES RECORD: Broncos won the only meeting 48-20 in 2005.
COACHES: BGSU-Gregg Brandon (39-25, sixth season, right); BSU-Chris Petersen (24-3, third season).
GAME NOTES:
BSU won its season opener on Aug. 30 in a 49-7 decision over Idaho State … the BSU program has earned a bowl the last six seasons in a row … Ian Johnson has 3,550 career rushing yards, the second most among active players … since 2003, BSU is 33-1 at home … the Falcons dropped a 42-17 home contest to Minnesota a week after surprising No. 25 Pittsburgh on the road… the Falcons have won their last three regular season road games (Pittsburgh in 2008; Buffalo and Eastern Michigan in 2007) … vs. UM, Tyler Sheehan completed passes to 10 different receivers, totaling 261 yards, completing 29-of 44 attempts … Sheehan completed 15 of his first 18 attempts …DL Diyral Briggs had three sacks, giving him a national high five for the season … Roger Williams needs nine more yards on kickoff returns to bypass the school record of 1,222 … turnovers did in the
Falcons vs. the Gophers, giving the ball over five times.
Nick’s Pick: Boise State 49 – BGSU 24
Comment: Will the real BGSU Falcons please stand up? Is this team that beat Pitt on the road two weeks ago or the team that self-destructed in the 4th quarter last week at home against Minnesota and in the GMAC Bowl against Tulsa? The blue-turf is tough to focus on – look for this to be a long trip for the Bowling Green faithful.
Temple (1-1, 0-0 MAC) at Buffalo (1-1, 0-0 MAC) – Noon
SITE: UB Stadium (29,013/Sportexe Momentum) – Buffalo, N.Y.
TELEVISION: ESPN Plus/MAC Game of the Week (Michael Reghi, Doug Chapman)
SERIES RECORD: Buffalo leads 11-1 … UB won last year in the schools’ first-ever conference meeting … the Bulls have won two in a row, with the Owls triumph coming in 1970, 21-8 in Philadelphia.
COACHES: Temple-Al Golden (6-20, second season); UB-Turner Gill (8-18 third season).
GAME NOTES:
Both teams opened the season with wins but followed with a loss last week … Temple dropped a 12-9 overtime game to Connecticut while Buffalo fell at Pittsburgh 27-16 …UB dropped the 11-point decision despite being outgained on total offense by just four yards …UB’s James Starks leads the MAC in rushing at 138 yards per game … the Owls defense has allowed just one touchdown in regulation the first two games and 19 total points overall … Temple’s C Alex Derenthal has started 37 consecutive games and WR Bruce Francis has made a reception in 28 straight games … this begins a stretch of four road games in the next five weeks for Temple … Buffalo’s Drew Willy saw his streak of 284 pass attempts without an interception end on his final throw of the night at Pittsburgh.
Nick’s Pick: Buffalo 24 – Temple 20
Comment: Buffalo seems to have Temple’s number these past two seasons as these schools are beginning to develop a nice MAC East rivalry. Both teams had chances to beat a Big East team last week and both slipped late in the game. Look for UB to earn a hard fought home win.
Toledo (0-1, 0-0 MAC) at Eastern Michigan (1-1, 0-0) – Noon
SITE: Rynearson Stadium (30,200/Field Turf) – Ypsilanti, Mich.
TELEVISION: None
SERIES RECORD: UT leads 24-11 … the Rockets have won seven of the last eight meetings …UT captured last year’s game 52-28 … the Eagles won in 2006 at Rynearson, 17-13.
COACHES: UT-Tom Amstutz (55-33, ninth season); EMU-Jeff Genyk (14-34, sixth season);
GAME NOTES:
The Rockets opened its season last week in a 41-16 loss at Arizona … the Eagles dropped a 42-10 contest at Michigan State … UT had 10 first-time starters in their lineup, as well as 20 freshmen overall, including 14 true freshmen … senior DL Sean Williamson returned from an injury that cost him 11 games last year and recorded the team’s lone sack on the first play ofthe game … Williamson started every game for UT in 2005 and 2006 … EMU’s Jermaine Jenkins is one of three MAC players with two interceptions this year and also had a fumble recovery last week at MSU … Terrance Blevins leads the MAC in yards per carry with 7.7 on 30 attempts …both EMU and Toledo last won their MAC opener in 2005 … Rockets PK Alex Steigerwald has made 18 consecutive FG and is 23-of-24 for his career.
Nick’s Pick: Toledo 35 – Eastern Michigan 28
Comment: This is a HUGE game for both programs. EMU is trying to prove that hard work Coach Genyk and his staff have done over the past five years can now produce wins, especially at home, against divisional rivals. EMU has the talent to win this game. Toledo is trying to prove that two straight 5-7 seasons was a minor dip in the program and not a sign of a complete and long-term downturn. Expect this game to be played as hard as a bowl game. In many ways, it is for both schools. The winner will have momentum to be 1-0 in the league and the loser will be almost out of the race before the end of September.
Ball State (2-0, 0-0 MAC) at Akron (1-1, 0-0 MAC) – 1:00
SITE: Rubber Bowl (31,000/AstroPlay) Akron, Ohio
TELEVISION: None
SERIES RECORD: BSU leads 10-7-1 … this is the first meeting since 2005, a 23-17 BSU win …the Zips had won the previous three meetings prior to that 2005 contest.
COACHES: BSU-Brady Hoke (24-37, sixth season); UA-J.D. Brookhart (23-27, fifth season).
GAME NOTES:
The Cardinals are the MAC’s lone undefeated team after last week’s 35-23 triumph over Navy … the Zips won their first game, a 42-28 contest at Syracuse … this is the Zips home opener after games at Wisconsin and Syracuse, and is BSU’s first road game as well … the Cardinals bring the league’s highest rated QB in Nate Davis with 616 yards and seven TDs passing while completing 80.2 percent (42-of-52) of his pass attempts … Dante Love is averaging a league-high 264.5 all-purpose yards per game and a conference-best 168 receiving yards per game … MiQuale Lewis is third in the MAC in rushing with his 104.5 yards per game … the Zips offense has received solid play from QB Chris Jacquemain, who has completed 67.7 percent (42-of-62) of his pass attempts for 487 yards and five TDs … Dennis Kennedy has returned to full strength and has averaged 6.5 yards per carry (124 yards, 19 attempts) … BSU’s offensive line has not allowed a sack this season.
Nick’s Pick: Ball State 31 – Akron 28
Comment: At the beginning of the season this game was looking like a Cardinal blow-out, but after a decent performance at Wisconsin and beating Big East bottom-feeder Syracuse by 14-points on the road, the Zips may be the surprise of the MAC this fall. Chris Jacquemain is this publication’s early season ‘most improved player of the year.’ Ball State in a thriller.
Central Michigan (1-1, 0-0 MAC) at Ohio (0-2, 0-0 MAC) – 2:00
SITE: Peden Stadium (24,000/FieldTurf) Athens, Ohio
TELEVISION: None
SERIES RECORD: CMU leads 19-4-2 … this is the first meeting since CMU defeated OU 31-10
in the 2006 Marathon MAC Championship game at Ford Field … Ohio’s last win was in 2001,
34-3.
COACHES: CMU-Butch Jones (9-7, second season); Ohio-Frank Solich (19-20, fourth year at school; 77-39, 10th season overall).
GAME NOTES:
The Bobcats are coming off a 26-14 loss at No. 3 Ohio State, a game in which they lead 14-6 in the third quarter … CMU lost at No. 2 Georgia, 56-17 … the Bobcats will start Boo Jackson at QB as Theo Scott suffered an injury at OSU … Jackson came on to rush for 55 yards and pass for 86 yards (9-of-25) vs. the Buckeyes … Ohio’s defense allowed two touchdowns to the
Buckeyes and limited them to 5-of-15 on third down attempts … RB Donte Harden had a game-high 63 rushing yards and scored the Bobcats lone offensive touchdown on a 15-yard run for a 7-3 second quarter lead … Curtis Meyers recovered a Buckeyes fumble in the end zone for the Bobcats other score … CMU’s Dan LeFevour threw for 250 yards and two TDs at Georgia but was held to 19 yards rushing … Bryan Anderson caught three passes to extend his streak to 30 consecutive games with a least one reception … CMU has won its last four MAC openers … Ohio has not started the season with three consecutive losses since 2002 … CMU is attempting to become the first school to win three consecutive MAC titles since Marshall (1997-2000).
Nick’s Pick: Ohio 26 – Central Michigan 24
Comment: OK, maybe Ohio’s game at Ohio State was more of OSU overlooking the Bobcats. Still, this publication was quite impressed with the speed and overall defense of OU and believes the Bobcats can win their home opener after two straight difficult and close road losses. Central Michigan proved this publication wrong all of last year when we picked against in MAC contests so don’t be surprised if the ‘Chips win on the road.
Delaware State (1-0, 0-0 MEAC) at Kent State (0-2, 0-0 MAC) – 2:00
SITE: Dix Stadium (25,000/FieldTurf) Kent, Ohio
TELEVISION: None
SERIES RECORD: KSU leads 1-0 … the Golden Flashes won last year’s contest 38-7 at Dix Stadium.
COACHES: DSU-Al Lavan (29-16, fifth season at school; 31-17, sixth season overall); KSU Doug Martin (15-33, fifth season).
GAME NOTES:
Hornets head coach Al Lavan was the interim head coach at Eastern Michigan in 2003 and went 2-1 with wins over Ball State and UCF, and a loss to Northern Illinois … DSU beat Florida A&M 35-28 Sept. 4 … the Golden Flashes are 0-2 after dropping games to Boston College and Iowa State … Eugene Jarvis rushed for 139 yards on 24 carries at ISU and added 60 yards
receiving … LB Derek Burrell has six straight games with 10 or more tackles after a game-high 11 stops last week … Burrell leads the MAC with 12.5 tackles per game … KSU has not lost three games to start the season since 2000 … next week the Golden Flashes are at Louisiana-Lafayette before playing eight consecutive conference games … KSU has been flagged for just nine penalties for 64 yards this season.
Nick’s Pick: Kent State 36 – Delaware State 23
Comment: Kent State played well enough to win at Iowa State last week but turnovers killed them. They should be able to beat up on an over-matched D-State team that is well coached by Al Lavan.
Western Michigan (1-1, 1-0 MAC) at Idaho (1-1, 0-0 WAC) – 2:00 (MT)
SITE: Kibbie Dome (17,000/RealGrass Pro) Moscow, Idaho
TELEVISION: None
SERIES RECORD: WMU leads 1-0 … the Broncos won 27-16 in 1976.
COACHES: WMU-Bill Cubit (21-17, fourth season at school; 55-35-1, ninth season overall); UI Robb Akey (2-12, second season).
GAME NOTES:
The Vandals are coming off a 42-27 home victory over Idaho State, a victory that snapped an 11-game losing streak dating back to last year … WMU captured its conference opener last week, topping Northern Illinois 29-26 … Brandon West rushed for a career-high 175 yards, with 141 of those coming in the second half … Louis Delmas had two takeaways, an interception and a fumble recovery … Tim Hiller has five TD passes and just one interception in 79 attempts this season, completing 64.6 percent (51-of-79) of his attempts for 528 yards … Jamarko Simmons had eight receptions last week, boosting his career total to 167, third all-time at WMU (school record is 238 by Greg Jennings, 2002-05) … WMU’s most recent non-conference road victory was Nov. 17, 2007, at Iowa, 28-19 … Vandals QB Nathan Anderle had two passing scores and a rushing TD last week as the Vandals built a 42-13 lead.
Nick’s Pick: Western Michigan 37 – Idaho 28
Comment: Western travels far for this game but after an early adjustment to the Kibbie Dome, expect the Broncos to roll.
Charleston Southern (0-2, 0-0 Big South) at Miami (0-2, 0-0 MAC) – 3:00
SITE: Yager Stadium (24,286/FieldTurf) Oxford, Ohio
TELEVISION: None
SERIES RECORD: First meeting.
COACHES: CSU-Jay Mills (27-30, sixth season at school; 30-51, ninth season overall); MIA Shane Montgomery (15-23, fourth season).
GAME NOTES:
CSU has lost to Miami (Fla.) 52-7 and Wofford 41-23 … the RedHawks have fallen to Vanderbilt 34-13 and Michigan 16-6 … Miami LB Clayton Mullins had four tackles for a loss last week and now leads the MAC with five tackles for a loss for minus 23 yards … the RedHawks defense limited the Wolverines to just 2-of-11 third down conversions … Jake Richardson set a school record with his 53.9 ypk punting average at Michigan … Jamal Rogers totaled 162 all-purpose yards (78 receiving, 89 kickoff returns) … the RedHawks also started 2006 with three consecutive losses … Miami has produced one touchdown in its first two games … Dan Raudabaugh passed for 191 yards last week to go over 3,000 for his career (3,156), the 11th player in school history to reach that plateau … after going 13-for-20 (65 percent) on field goals last year, K Nate Parseghian is 4-for-4.
Nick’s Pick: Miami 28 – Chas Southern 7
Comment: Miami needs a game like this after two straight BCS teams. If the RedHawks play to their potential, this game could become a blowout really quickly.
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